The present invention relates to an awning, and more specifically, to a enclosed retractable roll-style fabric awning assembly.
Roll-style fabric awnings, so-called “roll awnings,” are commonly provided on recreational vehicles. Such awnings generally consist of a rotating spindle having a sheet of awning fabric attached and wound onto the spindle. The spindle is mounted along the top edge of an outside wall of a recreational vehicle. The awning is kept fully rolled up on the spindle while the vehicle is configured for traveling. The awning can then be extended by unrolling the fabric from the spindle and supporting its free end with a suitable support pole, bracket or other mechanism. One or more torsion assemblies are often provided in order to assist in the retraction of the awning, as well as to keep it taut while extended.
Modern recreational vehicles are often equipped with slide-out rooms to allow for extra interior space when the vehicle is parked. Since the slide-out rooms normally have flat roofs, rainwater and debris can easily accumulate on their surfaces. In order to prevent this accumulation, a slide-out room may be provided with a roll awning, acting as a so-called “slide topper,” that extends over the top of the roof sloping downward when the slide-out room is extended from the vehicle. An example of a slide topper is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,824.
A problem associated with roll awnings is that, despite the usual downward slope, the roll awnings tend to accumulate rainwater and debris. Thus, when the awning fabric is wound back onto the spindle, some of the rainwater and/or debris may be inadvertently wound into the roll. In order to prevent this, wipers or scrapers can be provided that clean the awning fabric as it is wound onto the spindle.